One thing I find interesting about Christianity is the strong emphasis on study and knowledge. I, more than most, come to experience this emphasis in my seminary classes and studies.
Over the past few weeks I’ve enjoyed reading a modern classic, The Knowledge of the Holy, by A.W. Tozer. It was written in 1961 but has much relevance to today. This was my favorite part:
“Knowledge of a Being cannot be gained by study alone. It comes by a wisdom the natural man knows nothing of, neither can know, because it is spiritually discerned. To know God is at once the easiest and the most difficult thing in the world. It is easy because knowledge is not won by hard mental toil, but is something freely given. As sunlight falls free on the open field, so the knowledge of the holy God is a free gift to men who are open to receive it. But this knowledge is difficult because there are conditions to be met and the obstinate nature of fallen man does not take kindly to them” (page 115).
Yep, he nailed it.
I find it interesting that most churches spend a good majority of time on Biblical teaching, but really what people need is an encounter with God. That encounter must come before any teaching or preaching can really take root.
Maybe we’re focusing on the wrong thing.
[Image: Scroll Publishing]
